"Let three or four of you go," he said; "one may reach him," and as he
spoke his glance seemed to light on my face.

"I will take the Count your message, my lord!" I cried, and without
waiting for a reply turned my horse's head, and dashed into the
whirlpool.

The battle-field was a hideous scene. Wherever the eye could reach, men
were fighting and dying. There was no order even among the conquerors. I
came across a little knot of Huguenot gentlemen who had turned furiously
at bay.

"For the Admiral!" I cried, plunging in wild excitement into the midst
of the hostile sworders. "For the Admiral!" Perhaps my comrades thought
me mad, and in sober truth they would not have been far wrong; but they
were generous souls, and with a yell of defiance they cut their way
through after me.

"Count Louis," I said breathlessly to the first man, as we emerged on
the other side, "where is he?"

"I do not know; he was on our right wing when the crash came."

"I must find him; I have a message from the chief"

"Let us try the right wing," he said, "they are making a stand there."

A dozen gentlemen had followed me, one of them carrying a flag, and as
we galloped forward others joined us until we were fifty or sixty
strong. It was like riding into the very jaws of death, but they asked